Ridding of Pacifier

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2004
Ridding of Pacifier
9
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 10:37am
My daughter is 17 months old now. She has been attached to using her pacifier since day one. We have her now only using it to go to sleep at naptime and bedtime. We want to try to get her to stop using it but it's tough. She will not sleep without it. I was wondering what some of you have done to rid your children of the pacifier. Let me know. Thanks. -Paige, mommy2bailey
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 11:25am
Hi Paige, I have 2 older boys (18 & 15) and they had their pacifier at night until they were 3. I have a daughter who is now 15m old and is pretty much down to night, nap and in the car. I am going to do the same with her that I did with the boys. They didnt have any dental problems from having the pacifier and I think they need that security. Here is what we did to break them at 3. At about 2.5 we started telling them that when they were three they were a big boy and didnt need a paci anymore. We talked about it for 6m and they told everyone they saw that when they were 3 they were going to give their paci to the garbage man because big boys didnt need paci's. On their 3rd birthday they went throught the house found all the pacifiers but them in a bag and personally took them out to the garbage. I am telling the truth here... neither of them ever said a word about a pacifier again. It worked so well with the oldest I tried it again with the second and it worked just as well.





iVillage Member
Registered: 06-24-2004
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 8:57pm
My mother swears that cutting the nipple off with scissors is the cure-all. She said she did that for me and my sister and told us that it broke. We took it to the trash and said goodbye to it and ,apparently, we never asked for it again. Try it, who knows???

Adrienne

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2004
Thu, 09-16-2004 - 10:28pm
My daughter has already bitten the nipples of her pacifers clean off. She is on her last one. I think she knows it to because she hasn't even chewed on this one. That might just work if she chews this one off. We'll see. Thanks for the tip Adrienne.
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-12-2003
Fri, 09-17-2004 - 12:22am
When my DD was 13 mos. She was just taking it at sleep time. First I took it away at nap and then at night. The first couple days to a week are not fun but then she got used to it and has been w/o ever since.

HTH

Paula

Wife to Jonathan

Mommy to Abigail and Lydia

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-31-2003
Fri, 09-17-2004 - 7:45am
Hi Paige,

Both my kids had their pacifier until they were 3. Like someone else said, I started preparing them for several months that they would soon be 3 and too big for their "nuk". I got rid of all but one and that night they left their last one out for the "nuk fairy" who took the pacifier and left a small treat. Both of my kids were VERY attached to the pacifier, but neither had a problem getting rid of it.

I've also heard to snip a small hole in the tip (don't snip the whole nipple off) so it doesn't suck the same and they will get rid of it on their own. This didn't work with my son though, who bit a hole in his but kept sucking anyway : )

If she's not ready to get rid of it yet, I've heard there's no problem with them keeping it until their a little older. Our dentist told us it shouldn't damage their teeth before 3. As long as they just have it to fall asleep. I used to take it out after then were asleep so they didn't have it in their mouths all night.

Good luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-21-2004
Thu, 09-23-2004 - 7:40pm
Hi! My son will be 3 in November and I have just last week gotten up the courage to get rid of the binky. He only had it at nap and sleep (& it made him ASK to go to sleep b/c he loved being with binky). We actually went away on vacation and when I got home I told him I accidentally left it on vacation. He cried a lot at first, but strangely enough he seemed calmer when I lied and said that I had left my favorite shoes on vacation too!

The first night was the worst... naps are still a little tough (takes him longer to fall asleep) but it's getting better. We bought him his favorite stuffed animal to take to bed with him the first night.

Personally, even though we waited a long time to get rid of it, I think he's a good age because he understands. he even has a little brother with a binky and doesn't try to take it. I think you should wait!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-05-2004
Thu, 09-23-2004 - 10:15pm
Thank you all for your tips on getting rid of the pacifier. Lots of interesting names for a pacifier. My daughter calls it a dodo. I have tried and plan to try the ideas you have given me. Thanks again. -Paige
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-05-2004
Thu, 09-23-2004 - 10:17pm
Wow! I just told my husband today that next week I was going to work with my 15 month old on not taking his "binky". Some days the little guy loves it and needs it but other days he will go all day without it. I think I will try to cut the tip and see how that goes. My baby is growing up!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2003
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 11:34pm
I don't know if you have a Build-A-Bear Factory where you live, but it is a place that you go and build your own bear or a animal-you stuff it etc. My sister in law took her daughter who will be 3 in a few weeks so she could kiss her binky bye and have them stuff it into a bear for her. It worked. She no longer cries for it, but now she sleeps with the bear everynight. It is so hard to break them of these securities. I had to finally just cut my daughter from the bottle cold turkey. It has been about 3 weeks now, but she will still cry on occassion for Bah bah.

Trish :)